As the Cleveland Browns prepare for their Week 6 clash with the San Francisco 49ers, fans have been wondering how David Njoku's health has been progressing. The veteran tight end suffered facial burns back on Sept. 30, forcing him to wear a mask during Cleveland's Week 4 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Fast forward to Wednesday and Njoku finally revealed the extent of his burns in the graphic Instagram post. Having said that, those with squeamish stomachs might want to look away.
Dude… how did David Njoku play a football game with these burns on his face??
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) October 11, 2023
Talk about toughness… pic.twitter.com/czSuedjnvB
David Njoku Facial Burns Injury Update
Unsurprisingly, Njoku has earned a lot of respect from players and fans alike for playing through the above injuries. Some people will refuse to work if they sustain a minor burn on the kitchen stove, let alone playing football while sustaining facial burns.
The 27-year-old suffered the burns at his house on Sept. 30. Although the exact details of the incident haven't been revealed, AP News' Tom Withers did report that it occurred when Njoku was trying to light his firepit.
Despite the scary moment, Njoku took to social media hours later to announce that "flesh is weak" and that it wouldn't stop him from playing against the Ravens. With a protective mask helping him look like a Marvel superhero, he went on to record six catches for 46 yards against Baltimore.
Browns TE David Njoku, who suffered facial burns this weekend, arrives at Browns Stadium in a full on mask.
— ESPN (@espn) October 1, 2023
Njoku is expected to try to play.
(via @ESPNCleveland) pic.twitter.com/QYvn5zF0bL
His effort to battle through the pain earned a ton of respect from players and fans alike, and rightfully so. It would've been understandable if he took time off, so the fact that he battled through such a gruesome injury deserves praise.
Njoku has been one of the Browns' most reliable pass-catchers this season, owning an 88.9% catch rate through four games. He currently ranks third on the team when it comes to targets (18), receptions (16), and receiving yards (138), however, he's still looking for his first touchdown catch.
Time will tell if he can help the Browns upset the 49ers this weekend. It's going to take an all-in team effort considering that Cleveland is a major underdog across most sportsbooks ahead of Sunday's collision.
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